Why Keystone XL is not in the US national interest

Pressure is building on the Obama administration to reach a final decision on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

The State Department seems to be siding with backers of the project. The favorable environmental impact statement it has just released does not wholly dispel the reservations of the EPA and private environmental groups, but it carries political weight. Still, before construction can begin, the pipeline needs a finding that it is in the national interest. It is not.

Keystone XL, if built, would carry bitumen from Canadian oil sands to Gulf Coast refineries.

Its backers claim it will enhance national security without harm to the environment and create jobs in the process.